QPR 2 Wolves 1 – Report and pictures

Wolves crashed to defeat at QPR and were knocked off the top of the Championship.

Leo Bonatini equalised just before half time after brilliant work from Diogo Jota, two minutes after Conor Washington had given QPR the lead.

Both teams went close in the second half with Luke Freeman hitting the bar and Bonatini missing from six yards.

Then with just nine minutes left substitute Matt Smith met a left wing cross and headed past Ruddy.

Analysis

The form book can often mean very little in football.

Just as in midweek when Wolves unexpectedly took Manchester City to penalties, here they handed QPR their first win since September 9 after producing a limp performance against highly-motivated opposition, writes Tim Spiers at Loftus Road.

QPR produced double Wolves' number of shots (16 to eight) and played with more purpose and drive. Wolves would love to have responded by passing QPR off the park but the hosts denied them space and they struggled to get going. They also, again, failed to deal with a physical threat, this time in the form of 6ft 6in substitute Matt Smith who had given Wolves a warning sign when he headed one just wide and then netted the winner from a cross, beating Roderick Miranda to the ball both times.

Wolves relied on Diogo Jota for some magic. He produced some just before half time to tee up Leo Bonatini for an equaliser and did the same again for the Brazilian on the hour mark, but that occasion a goal wasn't forthcoming and it was QPR who edged the fine lines in this even encounter.

Combined with Sheffield United's victory last night it all meant Wolves were knocked off the top of the Championship.

This was a reality check and the reasons behind the defeat – be they complacency or otherwise – need to be eradicated quickly in what's a testing week.

While this was a poor display on a tight ground against physical opposition – obstacles that Wolves will face time and again this season – it should be remembered that a year ago Wolves were 18th in the table and without a manager.

They've come so far since then. If they're to go a lot further then this proved they're far from the finished article yet.

Match report

Nuno stuck with the same XI that beat Preston 3-2 last weekend, meaning Danny Batth and Conor Coady both started despite playing for 120 minutes at Manchester City in midweek.

There was a welcome return on the bench for Willy Boly after two months out with a hamstring strain, while QPR named Idrissa Sylla up front, a man Wolves have twice tried to sign.

QPR came into the game in dreadful form having gone winless in seven but Ian Holloway's team edged a first half low on quality.

Utilising a 4-3-3 system the hosts rapidly closed Wolves down, denying them any space and disrupting their preferred smooth passing game.

Wolves struggled to find any pockets of space in the QPR half and their forwards were caught offside on a number of occasions. Indeed Wolves didn't register a shot until the 25th minute when Ruben Neves released Diogo Jota who fired wide from range.

At the other end Wolves weren't exactly on the ropes, with Ruddy not seriously tested, but QPR threatened when Luke Freeman flashed a shot across goal and Ruddy had to block from Connor Washington from close range.

Wolves began to step up the tempo towards half time but then on 41 minutes they were behind – Massimo Luongo raced in to tackle Romain Saiss as the Moroccan received the ball 25 yards from goal and the ball dropped to Washington who edged ahead of Batth and clipped over Ruddy.

However far from knocking the stuffing out of Wolves it brought them – or more specifically Jota – to life when he embarked on a sensational jinking run down the left flank. QPR's defenders couldn't get near him and Jota scythed inside before teeing up Leo Bonatini who finished from close range.

It was the moment of magic Wolves had been lacking and yet another productive link-up between Jota and Bonatini who have developed an excellent understanding in the opening months of the season.

Nuno will have been hoping his team could start to dominate at the start of the second half but it was QPR who looked the more threatening and Luke Freeman cannoned a 20-yarder against the crossbar via a crucial deflection from a sliding Matt Doherty.

Back came Wolves and Cavaleiro looked to be in on goal but hesitated and then seemed to be brought down by a defender, but the referee wasn't having it and that was Cavaleiro's last action with Helder Costa replacing him.

Jota was Wolves' dangerman and he was heavily involved when they should have taken the lead on 62 minutes, linking up magnificently with Bonatini yet again, exchanging dummies and a one-two before Bonatini blazed over from six yards. It would have been a goal of the season contender and there were audible purrs in the press box.

Wolves were warming up. Neves sent Douglas flying down the left with a magnificent pass but his cross was too strong for Jota who was waiting to tap home.

But the hosts continued to pose danger at the other end and 6ft 6in substitute Matt Smith easily rose above Roderick Miranda to head just wide, before Ruddy spilled a cross on the edge of his own area and Coady had to clear off the line after Washington lobbed it goalwards.

The game was becoming stretched and with 15 minutes to go you couldn't pick a winner. Jota looked set to score after being picked out by substitute Bright Enobakhare but fired straight at the keeper.

And it was QPR who won it, the dangerous Smith beating Miranda again to head home a cross after Wolves failed to clear their lines.

There were no chances forthcoming in the final nine minutes, plus five added on, and Wolves crashed to their third defeat of the season.

Key moments

41 – GOAL – Massimo Luongo wins the ball off Romain Saiss with a crunching sliding tackle and the ball drops to CONOR WASHINGTON who chips over the onrushing John Ruddy.

43 – GOAL – Sensational work from Diogo Jota who races down the left, get to the byline, cuts inside and lays it on a plate for LEO BONATINI to slam home.

52 – Luke Freeman's 20-yarder deflects off Matt Doherty and smashes against the bar.

62 – Jota and Bonatini exchange two one-twos with some wonderfully intricate play before the latter blazes over from six yards.

72 – Conor Coady clears off the line after Ruddy fails to claim the ball on the edge of the box and Washington lobs towards goal.

74 – Bright Enobakhare plays a through ball to Jota – he cuts inside on his left foot and shoots straight at keeper Alex Smithies.

81 – Wolves don't clear their lines and a cross reaches MATT SMITH who gets in front of Miranda and heads past Ruddy.

Line ups

QPR (4-3-3): Smithies; Baptiste, Lynch, Bidwell, Robinson; Scowen, Cousins (Wszolek, 66), Luongo; Freeman (Furlong, 91), Sylla (Smith, 66), Washington. Subs: Lumley, Furlong, Mackie, Ngbakoto, Wheeler.

Goals: Washington (41), Smith (81)

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth (c), Coady, Miranda; Doherty, Neves (Marshall, 84), Saiss, Douglas; Cavaleiro (Costa, 57), Bonatini (Enobakhare, 70), Jota. Subs: Norris, Bennett, Boly, N'Diaye.

Goals: Bonatini (43)

Attendance: 16,004 (3,194 Wolves fans)

Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland)